Walter Merrett
Other names: Also spelt Merritt
Born 1856 (Circa)
Died 1918
Active: 1873 - 1911
Country of birth and death: England
Sculptor
Born and died in London probably in the St. Pancras area. He was the son of Louisa Merrett (born c.1828 in London). Walter studied sculpture under Joseph Edwards (1814-82) and he and a fellow pupil, Frederick Winter, were commissioned to make a memorial to their teacher for Highgate Cemetery. In 1884 Merrett joined the Freemasons (Strand Lodge, No. 1787 in Covent Garden), and remained a member until 1912 when he was excluded under Rule 175 (possibly for absenteeism or non-payment of his dues).
He was principally a portrait sculptor and there are four marble busts by him in the Guildhall Art Gallery: King Edward VII, 1902; Queen Alexandra, 1904 (both donated by Mr. T.V. Bowater); Florence Nightingale, 1912; and Samuel Heilbuth, 1914. Merrett also received a number of commissions from the Corporation of London for busts, including: Sir R.N. Fowler, M.P., c.1891 and Sir Joseph Dimsdale, (City Chamberlain), 1913. A bust of George V, possibly 1912, may also have been commissioned by the City of London.
This entry includes information from Sylvia Allen published in Roscoe (2009) and Peter Lord (2004).
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Locations
Address 12A Park Village West London | View on map
Also gave 120 Park Village West as his address between 1893-99
Address 26 High Street Marylebone London | View on map
1881 (Circa)
Address 10 Kent Terrace Ramsgate | View on map
1891 (Circa)
Lodging at this address
Address 20 Mornington Road London NW | View on map
1900 (Circa) - 1911 (Circa)
Address 19 Mornington Crescent London | View on map
1911 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Leeds City Art Gallery, The Spring Exhibition, 1903
'H. M. King Edward VII'
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Twelfth Autumn Exhibition, 1894
'H.R.H. The Duke of York'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1873 - 1911
Exhibited 19 times, often two to three works per year.
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-second (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1892
1892
Happy Moments (cat. no. 1386, 'Art thou not dearer to mine eyes than light? / Dost thou not circulate thro' all my veins, / Mingle with life, and form my very soul?', Young, group in plaster, in marble £735, in bronze, £525).
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures & sculpture: the thirty-second (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1902
1902
His Majesty King Edward VII (cat. no. 1499, plaster bust, not for sale).
Personal and Professional Connections
Pupil of Joseph Edwards
After Edwards' death in 1882 Merrett and fellow student, Frederick Winter, were commissioned to make a memorial to their teacher for Highgate Cemetery.
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Post Office London Directory, 1900 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1900
p.2371
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
'Sculptor'
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Artist Sculptor' neither employer nor employed
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
'Sculptor' working on own account
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
'Sculptor, [working] on my own' working on own account at home
Sources
A Biographical Dictionary of Sculptors in Britain, 1660-1851
2009
pp. 406-9
Catalogue of the Spring Exhibition, The City Art Gallery, Leeds 1903
1903
Cat. No. 542, pp. 55, 78
Catalogue of the Twelfth Autumn Exhibition, 1894
1894
Cat. No. 622, pp. 54, 63
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
Class: RG11; Piece: 206; Folio: 44; Page: 23; GSU roll: 1341045
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
2004
Class: RG12; Piece: 730; Folio: 91; Page: 17; GSU roll: 6095840
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901
2005
RG13 piece 132 folio 80 page 19
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911
2011
RG14PN667 RG78PN23 RD9 SD1 ED16 SN360
England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2007
2007
Name: Walter Merrett
Birth Date: abt 1855
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1918
Age at Death: 63
Registration district: Pancras
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1b
Page: 92
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
2006
Name: Walter Merrett
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1857
Registration district: Pancras
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1b
Page: 112
England, United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751-1921
2015
Name: Walter Merrett
Gender: Male
Initiation Age: 28
Birth Year: abt 1856
Initiation Date: 13 Mar 1884
First Payment Year on Register: 1884
Year Range: 1863-1887
Profession: Sculptor
Lodge: Strand Lodge
Lodge Location: Covent Garden
Lodge Number: 1987
Folio Number: 77
Name: Walter Merrett
Gender: Male
Initiation Date: 1884
First Payment Year on Register: 1910
Year Range: 1910-1921
Lodge: Strand Lodge
Lodge Number: 1987
Folio Number: 57
Post Office London Directory, 1900 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1900
p.2371
The Times Digital Archive 1785-1985
2008
Court Circular.
The Times (London, England), Friday, Jun 27, 1902; pg. 4; Issue 36805. (4222 words)
Category: Court and Social
Court Of Common Council..
The Times (London, England), Friday, Nov 25, 1904; pg. 6; Issue 37561. (736 words)
Category: News
The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Feb 19, 1913; pg. 11; Issue 40139. (560 words)
Category: Letters to the Editor
Citing this record
'Walter Merrett', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib5_1209422320, accessed 08 Jun 2023]
